Los Angeles
by Jewannaman
Summary: Crazy AU where everyone lives in L.A. and Blair's is undercover.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is one crazy fic, but I liked the idea so I wrote a short chapter just as an introduction to the story. You kind of have to read into every little tidbit because it sort of a piece of a puzzle to the whole story. If you don't understand things, there is a reason and your questions will be answered in future chapters, but more questions will be posed._

_For questions posing with my other fics, Happiness is overrated was a oneshot so I will not be updating any new chapters and no...I'm not giving up on Under Her Spell. _

* * *

Blair stands by the crime scene and sees the dead body of a mid-20 girls lying on the stream in the middle of the woods. Her throat is slit and her eyes are scooped out. It's grotesque, but this is just a part of the job. The famous Hillside Slitter kills another.

The F.B.I. was clueless, the Hillside Slitter had killed 20 women in the past two years and they haven't come any closer to solving the case. All they knew was that his victims have all been from L.A.

She's not supposed to be here since her assignment was getting close to Chuck Bass, maybe even engaged if possible. But she came here for personal reasons. The Hillside Slitter murdered her mother right under her nose and there is nothing more Blair Waldorf enjoyed than revenge.

.

She enters one of Lily Van Der Woodsen's charity balls in the arms of Chuck Bass, the son of multi-millionaire Bart Bass, otherwise known as a business magnate. Bart's a real estate investor and the owner of Escape, an exclusive nightclub in L.A.

The F.B.I. was skeptical with the fact that a nightclub owner could be a multi-millionaire, there were rumors of Mr. Bass being linked to organized crime and that he was the actually ring leader of the operations. That's where she comes in, her assignment is to dig deeper and find evidence linking him to the mafia.

She met Chuck Bass through Serena, a girl she went to school with. To these people, she's just a socialite living off her mommy and daddy's money.

"May I say you look splendid my dear" Chuck whispers in her ear with camera's flashing as they walked into the ball.

Her assignment could've been worse, Chuck is attractive, fun to be around, and good in bed.

.

After the charity ball, she stands in the elevator, but before it closes she finds a man with short curly black hair slide into the elevator.

_Dan _

This is the fifth time she finds herself in the elevator with him. His hair is damp and she can notice the little trickles of sweat illuminating in his hair. He's breathing irregularly and looks exhausted with his Henley T and dark blue jeans.

Dan Humphrey was 19 when he sold an Academy Award nominated screenplay to Focus Pictures. He left L.A. not shortly after and no one had heard from him since. Until now; He's 24 and back in L.A. His IMDB hasn't listed any future projects, but word on the street is he's back to writing.

"You smell nice" Dan says facing the elevator door and his back turned to her.

She sees the curl of his lips on the side of his face and smiles looking down to her toes.

"Thank you"

The elevator stops and the door slides open. She doesn't look back at him until she reaches her door and begins unlocking it. With one final glance over to his direction where he is unlocking his front door, she walks in to her apartment.

She places her clutch on the glass coffee table and checks her voicemail. One is from Chuck checking in to see if she came home alright. The other is from her father who sounds worried and is asking her to come to France for Thanksgiving.

It's getting difficult to find excuses for her father not to meet Chuck, but family is where she draws when it comes to work. Her solution is to ignore her father until this case is finished.

.

She's having Thanksgiving in Bart's mansion up in Holmby Hills. Chuck parks his car on his father's Cobblestone driveway and looks over while placing his hand on her thigh.

"Are you ready" Chuck inquires.

"It's not that big a deal, I've already met them before" she tells him.

"It's just a big step, that's all" Chuck explains.

She nods and opens the door.

When they enter the foyer, she's greeted by Bart and Lily, but is surprised to see dark haired man wearing a plaid flannel standing on the side. Lily notices her furrowed brows and introduces them.

"Blair, this is Rufus, my husband" Lily says.

She shakes hands with him but keeps her eyes on Lily. "I didn't know you were married"

"A lot changed after you left" Lily explains.

She nods and follows them into the family room where the rest of Chuck's family is. Nate's standing by the fireplace with Serena in his arms. They dated High School and had a lot of break ups and make ups along the way, but now their officially engaged.

Nate comes over with his perfect blonde bangs and beautiful blue eyes to hug her. Serena and him are a match made in heaven with their looks alone. She actually had a giant crush on Nate back in middle school, but her mother died and it took some time for the numbness to go away.

"B!" yells her excited best friend and joins Nate for a hug.

They're all happy to see her, but little do they know that her goal is destroy this family. Hopefully, someday they will understand and forgive her for the betrayal. The mission is Bart, not the destruction of Serena's family.

"Who wants spiked Eggnog?"

It's surprise to have another family member because she thought she had accounted for everyone before she came for Thanksgiving. Obviously she did a horrible job with her research. She turns around to see Dan Humphrey holding two glasses of Eggnog in the air.

Dan smirks when their eye's meet. There isn't any sign of surprise and it's more like he was expecting her.

"Blair, I'd like you to meet my brother Dan" Chuck says and grabs a hold of her arm to drag her over to Dan.

Dan sticks his hand out.

"Hi, I'm Dan Humphrey"

She shakes his hand lightly. "Blair Waldorf"


	2. Chapter 2

_Sorry for taking so long to update but my other fic has kept me fairly busy for whenever I have free time to write. To answer some of the questions, you will get a better understanding of why Chuck called Dan his brother. Yes, Dan and Blair knew each other before they met up at Bart's. They live in the same floor of an apartment building, basically next door to each other. And lastly, the mystery of the Hillside Slitter is a big part of this story._

_Thank you for the reviews, I was surprised I even got that much since this fic is very different and very AU. This chapter is probably slow, but the story will pick up as the you get deeper into the story._

* * *

_He's Smooth,_ Blair thinks. Sitting in the dining room, she tries to take notice of everything. Dan's a lot quieter than she expected. His behavior's cool, calm, and collected. There isn't much display of emotion.

She's having trouble figuring out how it's possible that her team wasn't able to figure out Chuck Bass had a relationship with Dan Humphrey.

Her eyes drift away from Dan to two tall and overweight men. They're wearing half sleeve button downs and look out of place, yet they're here passing along information in Bart's ear.

The clues are in front of her, but she can't seem to find hardcore evidence which would be needed to put Bart behind bars. She's spent the past two months trying to come up with a plan to bug Bart's office, but sneaking in seems impossible with the amount of security Bart has.

The Thanksgiving feast goes on and she catches up with her two friends. Serena tells her about acting and how she's having trouble overcoming typecasting. Nate's life is a bit different and more laid back. He models and makes more money than he deserves.

She tries to keeps her eyes on the Humphrey's because there is something not adding up about them. Serena begins going on about her wedding and she loses track of Dan. It feels like they discuss the wedding for some time and with the blink of an eye, it's time for her to leave.

"Dan will drive you" Chuck tells her and places his hand on her shoulder to lead her over to the driveway.

They leave the house and head for the driveway only to see Bart pass by her and head back into the house. Dan's on the end of the driveway and looks to be in deep thought.

"Can you take her home?" Chuck asks Dan

Their eyes meet for a split second before their on Chuck again. Dan gives him a nod and reaches for his pocket to take out keys.

She gets in his newly waxed scarlet-red 67 Chevrolet Camaro. It seems to have been slowly restored and been worked on by Dan. Throughout the ride, she looks straight ahead, but her pupils go to the corner of her eye just to take a peek. She doesn't say a word because he doesn't. She just enjoys how smoothly the steering wheel runs through his fingers and how good he is at driving stick.

"How long have you been dating Chuck?" Dan breaks the silence but keeps his eyes on the road.

"I'm surprised he hasn't told you" Blair replies and turns her head to take in the nicely toned muscle on his biceps.

A hint of curve appears on the corner of his lips. "I guess that means you guys aren't very serious"

She purses her lips, not liking his comment. Her glare should warn him not to do it again, but she quickly realizes he's getting under her skin on purpose. She starts getting nervous when his eyes aren't leaving hers. Silence is what ensues but she can't tear away from his eyes.

"The road" Blair points out, not wanting die at the moment.

Dan's lips curve slightly. "Right" He then turns his head straight ahead.

Being in such a small compartment with him always makes her heart beat faster and her breathing shorter. He smells of sweat and soap, not any hint of cologne. It feels like she sitting next to a pure man.

"You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you" Dan says still looking straight ahead.

Her eyes shut and she breathes through her nose as she takes in those words. Oh those glorious words that would ring in her mind as she would go to sleep at night, dreaming of a boy expressing his love for her in the same fashion.

She doesn't have time deal with the shock of his words because he stares at her with a smug grin and gives her a look which suggests he knows her better than she thinks.

"Is this your way of getting in my pants" Blair challenges, trying to stand her ground and not letting him see how he's affecting her.

Dan laughs lightly and his eyes fall back on the road. "No, not at all. I saw _Persuasion_ sticking out of your bag in the elevator one night and I was just quoting my favorite part."

"It was my favorite part as well" Blair confessed softly, looking straight ahead no matter how tempting it was to look over in the other direction.

Dan offers her a smile. "How can it not be?" She turns her head over to his direction. "I believe in that type of love. No matter who I date or marry, there is only one person my heart will belong to"

"Have you met her?"

"No" Dan's eyes leave the road for her. "I may never, but if I do, I will never let her go"

For the first time that night, she smiles and enjoys the wind blowing into her hair as they continue to ride.

.

Blair's pacing back and forth on the rooftop of a building. It's her secret meeting place for her team of agents.

"How the hell didn't we know Chuck was related to Dan!" Blair yells and turns to a slick backed hair blonde.

"First, they're step-brothers. Second, we didn't think it was necessary to include the Humphrey's in this matter" Ben explains and looks at an overweight Kenny for help.

Both Kenny and Ben are on her team and she thinks of them as average at best. After attending the F.B.I. academy, she did a few assignments outside of the U.S., but this is her first big one.

"Listen, talking about Dan Humphrey is useless. What we need to know is if you were able to figure out who Bart's right hand man is" Kenny says, looking a little impatient.

All everyone cares about is this right hand man. From what she's hear, he's dangerous and she's been warned in numerous accounts not to let him in a car.

Blair sighs and rubs her forehead tiredly, looking a little dejected. "Not a whiff. But I was able learn about the Bass's meeting with the Triads tonight"

The Triads own Chinatown. They're Asian and don't play by the rules. Meaning they're more dangerous than Bart and his crew.

"When and Where?" Kenny asks

"Tonight at 7, Norton Simon Museum up in Pasadena" Blair tells them

.

Blair's staring at the Dancers in the wings painting from Degas in the Norton Simon Museum. It's one of her favorite paintings. There's a new exhibition for some glorified modern artist, but her attention remains solely on Degas.

Behind her is Chuck having a meeting with the Mr. Li, big boss of the Triads. It came as a surprise Chuck was the one meeting with them, seeing as how she thought he was just the son and not an actual member of their organization, but this information is important.

She clued in on her wanting to go to see the new exhibition and Chuck didn't protest bringing her along. He trusts her and she knows she's finally getting in.

"Blair?"

Blair looks over her shoulders to see a perfectly kempt hair Dan, wearing jeans and a tight navy blue long sleeve Henley which is underneath his black cotton jacket.

"What are you doing here?" Dan asks as he reaches her.

"I'm here for the opening but this Degas painting is what's really catching my attention. What about you? Are you here to see Chuck?" Blair inquires.

A crease grows within Dan's brows. "Chuck's here?"

"Yes" Blair tilts her head to point in Chuck's direction.

At the moment, she's wired which is a rare. It makes her more nervous than usual because if there is any hint of her recording the Bass's conversations, they won't hesitate to kill. Her team has been pushing her to be wired more often, but there is no way she's taking that risk.

Dan walks past her shoulder to stare at the painting and her eyes drift off to the agents scattered around the room, hoping there is a transaction taking place tonight between the Triads and Bass's.

"I'm a huge fan of Degas" Blair tells him when her eyes drift back over to his direction.

Dan smirks as his eyes remain on the painting. "Girls tend to be"

She makes an indignant snotty noise and folds her arms across her chest.

He uses his hand to point in the direction of the painting. "Degas liked to redo the same subject ten to twenty times and it's why I think his paintings are too repetitive"

"What makes Degas special is there is a story behind each painting" Blair argued, shaking her head in disagreement.

Dan lifted one finger across to get his point across. "Actually, some people say the dancers he used were modeling for him, and these models were paid prostitutes. So I wouldn't say there is a story behind his paintings, instead, I consider him to be horny little Frenchman"

Blair's face hardens and she takes a breath through her nose to keep her emotions in check.

His lips are quivering and fighting with themselves from curving. "See, I think the ballerinas are the only thing keeping your interest"

"And who keeps your interest?"

"Well, Van Gough of course" Dan says smugly.

Blair purses her lips. "How very original of you"

A smile tugs Dan's lips as he starts stepping away from her, not leaving her eyes. "I'll see you around Waldorf"

She watches him spin around and head in the other direction.

She's trying to pay attention to Chuck in the corner, but her mind is on Dan and that perfect chest of his. He's very intriguing and she wants to pick at as his brain some more. Like why did he stop writing for five years?

There is a feeling of disappointing in the room when Chuck walks away from his conversation with Mr. Li. With all of the bugs and eyes they had in the room, nothing came of it.

Chuck takes her home and she tries to probe questions on what his meeting with Mr. Li was about, but the only answer she gets is Mr. Li is interested in buying one of Bart's nightclubs.

After Chuck drops her off, she waits outside the elevator, having a little hope she runs into Dan so she can discuss more about Degas with him, but she has no luck and enters the elevator alone.

.

Blair's phone won't stop ringing and it leads to her eyes fluttering open. She answers her cellphone and walks over to her window which really should be considered a wall. Her eyes stare out to see the buildings of L.A. and how the lights are never off no matter how late it is.

"What is it?" Blair asks putting on her poker face.

It's Ben and he obviously has some news for her, but she's highly annoyed it couldn't wait til morning.

"The museum has been robbed" Ben tells her surprisingly calmly. "We were duped"

Blair rubs her eye tiredly. "How?"

"The meeting between Chuck and Mr. Li was just used as a distraction from what they were really trying to do"

"Which is…" Blair urges him to continue.

"Someone installed a device in the bathroom that shuts all the electricity off the building. No electricity, no alarm" Ben explains her over the phone. "But that's not our biggest problem"

She knows where he's going with this and steps back until she reaches her bed because she doesn't think she can feel her legs. There is only one explanation as to them knowing the F.B.I. would be at the museum watching Chuck.

"They obviously know they have mole" Ben says.


	3. Chapter 3

_Again, I apologize for taking so long. The reviews to this particular story made me really happy because it is so different and unusual when considered the typical genre for Gossip Girl Fanfiction. So thank you for them. _

_This particular chapter is very DB centric and I don't think it's as crisp as the chapter before. The second chapter definitely flowed better then this one. _

* * *

Chuck's standing in front of her doorway, walking her back in and probably expecting sex. Two weeks have passed and not a word has been said about a mole. She hasn't suspected any distrust on her, so she's breathing easy, at least for now.

Chuck leans in, but her head drifts over to the sound of a door opening and Chuck accidently presses a kiss on her cheek, completely missing what he was aiming for. Her eyes are on Dan stepping out of his place in a white racer jacket, but the clock has already struck past midnight.

When Chuck realizes she isn't paying attention, his eyes follow hers all the way over to Dan.

"I keep forgetting you two live next to each other" Chuck says and steps away from her breathing space.

After locking his front door, Dan leans his shoulder against the wall to face them, and his lips curve a little when his eyes meet Blair's. "You look nice"

Blair pinches the bridge of her nose, looking down and feeling slightly embarrassed. "Thank you"

"How about a drink?" Chuck offers.

"I can't" Dan answers.

"What could someone possibly be doing this late at night?" Blair inquires, eyeing him suspiciously.

"I can show you if you want" Dan offers and sticks a hand out, daring her to step forward and take it.

To be honest, she's tempted just at the sight of his curled lips, but unfortunately she has a job.

"Are you flirting with my girlfriend?" Chuck asks, stepping closer to a shoulder leaning Dan.

Dan shoves both hands in his brown pants and leans off the wall to stand up straight, holding a smug grin. He doesn't say anything and his eyes just shift in-between her and Chuck as he holds that cute smile of his. Chuck laughs to break the silence and smacks Dan's shoulder playfully but unlike Chuck, she doesn't think Dan's playing around.

"Anyways, I should be going" Dan says and gives Blair one last look before turning around and heading in the other direction, leaving her wanting more.

.

Blair pours Chuck a drink and sits beside him on the red leather sofa in her black marble floored living room.

Chuck sighs tiredly and leans back against the sofa. "Are you two friends?"

"I wouldn't go that far, we've barley exchanged words" Blair tells him.

She shouldn't ask, because it's risky and could plausibly cause harm to her relationship, but the curiosity of Chuck's mysterious brother has been eating away at her for the past few weeks.

"I'm surprised you two are close. He seems a little out of his element don't you think?"

She gets the exact response she was looking from Chuck, as his lazy smile fades and his protective side comes out.

Chuck sits back up and glances over to Blair. "Trust me, he's come a long way. Before, he would actually wear this plaid flannel all the time"

Blair scrunches her nose to the thought.

"Exactly" Chuck responds to Blair's reaction.

She takes a sip from her scotch and her face winces a little from the roughness of the alcohol.

"What was he like before?" Blair asks, hoping Chuck doesn't get the wrong idea.

"Before, he would ramble on and on. He loved to talk. But now, he keeps more to himself" Chuck answers.

There something suspicious about her neighbor, and Chuck is only confirming her doubts. No one goes out this late at night unless they are up to something.

.

Blair finally arrived, obviously a lot later then she wanted to, but the traffic in L.A. can be an unpredictable one.

Chuck invited her to William Van Der Bilt's outdoor party. The house is white and designed in a contemporary manner. She sets foot in the flat roof home to only see Chuck awaiting her. Most of the people are outside in the backyard, with the Pacific Ocean behind them.

Chuck welcomes her in with a smile and a tacky compliment. He slides his hand on her lower back and leads her to the center of the party.

"I'm so glad you could make it Blair" William says and hands her a drink.

Blair takes the drink. "Thank you"

"How are things? I've noticed you haven't working" William asks, his brows furrowing in worry.

It's just like Nate's grandfather to worry about her. He was the closest friend her mother had. There was even a time she considered her mother having an affair with the man.

"Yes, well, I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do" Blair tells him.

"If you're having trouble deciding, you should consider running Waldorf Designs. You know it is what your mother would have wanted" William says.

She smiles at the thought, the dream. Maybe in the future, she can come back and build on what her mother had started, but now isn't the time.

"I will take it under consideration" Blair replies and says her goodbye.

She steps away and her attention draws to the crowd. She can't see one single man not wearing a suit, except one. Her lips curve as she presses the small, thin, wine glass against her lips. It doesn't come as a surprise the only person not wearing a suit is Dan. She can see him through the glass window, sitting on a white leather sofa in a white dress shirt and white pants.

Through the backdoor, Blair enters the living room where Dan Humphrey is in deep thought, rolling two metallic baoding balls in-between his fingers. As soon as Blair approaches him, he places the metallic balls in his pocket. From the look in Dan's eyes, his thoughts seem to be disrupted by her.

"I didn't know you were invited" Blair says and stands in front of him.

The face she had been accustomed to seeing isn't there anymore. Instead, his face is hard and he doesn't look to be in the mood to play.

Dan's eyes leave the wall and meet Blair's. "Is that your way of saying you're happy to see me?" He stands up and towers over her. She looks up and swallows hard when their eyes meet. "Shouldn't you be wandering off with Chuck and telling everyone the story of those pearl earrings you're wearing?"

The heat from her skin is beginning to rise and there doesn't seem to be much air left in the little space she has. Her body is pushing her closer to his and she is doing everything to stop herself. In her eyes, Dan Humphrey is a suspect and she cannot let him be distraction.

"I prefer to stay and discuss what you were doing last night" Blair says, staying on his eyes and not blinking once.

Blair moves a little closer to where her chest is pressing his and is confident he can feel her chest rising up and down from how shallow her breath is getting. He looks so scrumptious in that white button down of his.

Dan's lips press tightly and his face grows serious when his eyes leave hers. She looks over her shoulder to see a William's blonde girlfriend giving Dan a seductive smile and walking towards the master bedroom.

"I would love to continue this conversation, but unfortunately, I must be going" Dan tells Blair and walks past her to head for the bedroom.

Blair's brows furrow in disbelief as she watches Dan leave for the bedroom. For one, how is it possible for her to be witnessing adultery right in front of her eyes? Second, why is Dan Humphrey a part of it. She thought he was better than that.

After overcoming the initial shock, she decides it's best to tell William about his girlfriend's infidelity. Blair is not going to let William be played like a fool. Before she can rat Dan out to William, she has to provide him with evidence, otherwise, it will be her word against William's girlfriend.

Blair sneaks a peek through the little opening of the door. Using her cell phone, Blair sticks it out and tries to take a picture, but the only image the phone's providing is of them in a deep discussion. If they're not having sex, then why couldn't they have this discussion out in the open? What is William's link to the Bass's?

As more time passes, there are less and less clues pointing Dan to the Bass's. He is definitely hiding something, but that something may just be personal and none of her business.

.

Blair sips from her drink, feeling peeved because she is getting nowhere fast. It's like the Bass's are toying with the FBI. She leaves the party early due to the frustration of being on a case for months and not getting anywhere.

She does have a plan however, one last desperate attempt to figure out what is truly going on. To cool off, she lies in her bathtub and shuts her eyes, but not before setting an alarm.

It's 1 A.M. when her alarm rings off. She spends an hour getting dressed, but makes sure to keep her ears out for a door opening next door. Just as she's finished with her makeup, she hears footsteps in the hallway.

Blair opens the door and sees Dan walking off to the elevator. She pokes her head out and clears her throat to gain some attention.

Dan stops abruptly and turns around to face her. His brows rise in amusement as he leans a shoulder against the wall.

That cute smile of his appears again. "What can I do for you Blair Waldorf?"

"Do you think you can finally give me that ride?"

"Not tonight" Dan answers.

"I shouldn't be surprised, it's obvious you're only words" Blair eggs him on with a smirk as she leaves her doorway. "What are you so scared of?"

Dan bites his lower lip and looks to be actually considering it.

"Come on" Blair pleads trying to pout her lips in a way he'll find adorable.

"Alright, let's go"

He leans off the wall, and heads for the elevator, with her following his every step.

.

Blair's in the passenger's seat, enjoying the scenic drive and trying not to lose herself in his scent. To her surprise, Dan takes her out to the coast where the Pacific Ocean lies and the moon reflects against the water. The roads are curved, but his smooth driving makes it seem like their driving in line.

"Since coming back, I've been having trouble sleeping. It nights like these where my mom would sing to me and my eyes would slowly give in" Dan says, smiling a little to the thought and she can't help but smile as well.

"Where exactly were you?" Blair asks and looks over to Dan, who has one hand on the steering wheel and the other on his stick shift. "You write a successful movie then disappear. It doesn't add up"

"That's a pretty personal question don't you think" Dan says.

"You can ask me anything you want. I don't have anything to hide" Blair presses and meets his soft brown eyes.

He swallows and takes some time to answer. Eventually, he glances over to Blair. "My mom passed away and I couldn't write anymore because of it. I was constantly badgered by everyone around me to write another screenplay, so I needed to escape"

A sigh from the feeling of regret leaves Blair lips. She pressed and pressed, trying to get something out of Dan, but nothing comes of it and she is only left with guilt.

"Anyways, I left L.A. and then travelled" Dan went on and then met her eyes.

"My mother passed away as well" Blair confides in him.

"I know" Dan replies softly.

His eyes look so caring and genuine. She feels the softness of his voice reaching and warming her heart. It's a feeling she has very rarely experienced in her life. A life in which has been spent mostly alone.

"So I stayed with my father during my high school years and tried to escape the image of her slit throat" Blair tells Dan.

Dan's staring straight ahead and his brows are furrowed in deep thinking mood. "Things like that cut deep, but you're left with a choice" Dan turns his head to meet her eyes. "You can either wither away in self-pity, or you can let it make you stronger"

"Did losing your mother make you stronger?" Blair asks.

As Dan's attention's on the road, his eye's squint in pain and become filled with water, threatening to spill, but he's fighting it and not letting it out. "I didn't handle it the best way and made some rash decisions"

When she those words leave his mouth, she can't help but wish she knew what Dan was like at the age of 19.

.

"That was fun" Blair says, meeting Dan's eyes.

They're in the elevator, waiting to reach their floor, and Dan's back is on the opposite end of the elevator, pressing against the wall. Tonight was a rare night for Blair. She can't remember the last time she felt her heart warm.

"It was" Dan agrees and shoves his hands down to his pockets as a smile threatens to appear. "Maybe we can bring Chuck next time"

"Maybe" Blair says.

The elevator stops and Dan gestures her to go first in a mannerly fashion. They reach the hallway and Blair knows it's time for them to go their separate ways. So she makes her way over to her door, as does he, but their intense gaze keeps intact, making her breathing shallower.

When Blair unlocks the door to her apartment, it takes her a moment to step in as the ache she's feeling is combating against her brain.

Dan swallowing hard is the last image she sees before stepping into her apartment, and it plays in her mind for the rest of the night.


End file.
